Sin and Shame31The LORD said to the people of Israel:If a divorced woman marries,can her first husbandever marry her again?No, because thiswould pollute the land.But you have more godsthan a prostitute has lovers.Why should I take you back?2Just try to find one hilltopwhere you haven't goneto worship other godsby having sex.[L]hilltop … sex: See the note at 2.20.You sat beside the roadlike a robber in ambush,except you offered yourselfto every passerby.Your sins of unfaithfulnesshave polluted the land.3So I, the LORD, refusedto let the spring rains fall.But just like a prostitute,you still have no shamefor what you have done.4You call me your fatheror your long-lost friend;5you beg me to stop being angry,but you won't stop sinning.The LORD Asks Israel To Come Back to Him6 When Josiah[M]Josiah: Ruled 640–609 b.c. was king, the LORD said:Jeremiah, the kingdom of Israel[N]Israel: The northern kingdom (see the note at 2.4). was like an unfaithful wife who became a prostitute on the hilltops and in the shade of large trees.[O]prostitute … trees: See the note at 2.20.787-8I knew that the kingdom of Israel had been unfaithful and committed many sins, yet I still hoped she might come back to me. But she didn't, so I divorced her and sent her away.Her sister, the kingdom of Judah, saw what happened, but she wasn't worried in the least, and I watched her become unfaithful like her sister. 9The kingdom of Judah wasn't sorry for being a prostitute, and she didn't care that she had made both herself and the land unclean by worshiping idols of stone and wood. 10And worst of all, the people of Judah pretended to come back to me. 11Even the people of Israel were honest enough not to pretend.12Jeremiah, shout toward the north:Israel, I am your LORD—come back to me!You were unfaithfuland made me furious,but I am merciful,and so I will forgive you.13Just admit that you rebelledand worshiped foreign godsunder large trees everywhere.14You are unfaithful children,but you belong to me.Come home!I'll take one or two of youfrom each town and clanand bring you to Zion.15Then I'll appoint wise rulerswho will obey me,and they will care for youlike shepherds.16You will increase in numbers,and there will be no needto remember the sacred chestor to make a new one.[P]make a new one: The sacred chest was probably destroyed or taken away by the Babylonians when they captured Jerusalem in 586 b.c.17The whole city of Jerusalemwill be my throne.[Q]sacred chest … throne: The sacred chest was thought to be God's throne on earth.All nations will come hereto worship me,and they will no longer followtheir stubborn, evil hearts.18Then, in countries to the north,you people of Judah and Israelwill be reunited,and you will return to the landI gave your ancestors.19I have always wantedto treat you as my childrenand give you the best land,the most beautiful on earth.I wanted you to call me “Father”and not turn from me.20But instead, you are like a wifewho broke her wedding vows.You have been unfaithful to me.I, the LORD, have spoken.The People Confess Their SinsThe LORD said:21Listen to the noiseon the hilltops!It's the people of Israel,weeping and begging meto answer their prayers.They forgot about meand chose the wrong path.22I will tell them, “Come back,and I will cure youof your unfaithfulness.”They will answer,“We will come back, because youare the LORD our God.23On hilltops, we worshiped idolsand made loud noises,but it was all for nothing—only you can save us.24Since the days of our ancestorswhen our nation was young,that shameful god Baal[R]that shameful god Baal: The Hebrew text has “The Shame,” which was sometimes used as a way of making fun of the Canaanite god Baal. has takenour crops and livestock,our sons and daughters.25We have rebelled against youjust like our ancestors,and we are ashamed of our sins.”